Francoise Bedel Entre Ciel Et Terre
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Exhibit A in the case for Bedel and her obscure terroir must be a NV Brut Entre Ciel et Terre EB041012, which places Meunier in something more like its usual supporting role, letting Chardonnay and Pinot step forward. Jasmine, green tea, lime, grapefruit, and white currant inform a brightly penetrating yet subtly perfumed nose, whose elements are joined on a palpably lees-enriched yet vivacious and consummately refreshing palate by nut oils, smoky toasted grain and saliva-liberating salinity. A subtle sense of textural oiliness reinforces the nut and citrus oil aspects but without deflecting any of this wine’s effusive juiciness or dimming the invigorating tang incorporated in a mouthwateringly long finish tinged with iodine. I suspect this will merit following for at least another 4-5 years. (This wine's lot number, incidentally, can be decoded as follows: Entre Ciel ...; Brut; 2004-based; disgorged 10/2012. Would that Champagne growers more often follow such a logical pattern of lot-designation!)
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Wine Spectator
Bright acidity is finely knit with flavors of ripe white cherry, ginger biscuit, lemon curd and slivered almond in this sleek and harmonious Champagne. Not a powerhouse, but should show well to sip or to enjoy with light fare. Drink now through 2018. 250 cases imported.
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Wine & Spirits
This blend of chardonnay (50 percent), pinot noir and meunier spends eight years on the lees. That extended aging has brought the wine’s fruit and minerality into a sweet-savory harmony. It’s clean, round and saturated with flavor, the sweetness cut by a clean sweep of bubbles. European Cellars, Charlotte, NC
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
Associated with luxury, celebration, and romance, the region, Champagne, is home to the world’s most prized sparkling wine. In order to bear the label, ‘Champagne’, a sparkling wine must originate from this northeastern region of France—called Champagne—and adhere to strict quality standards. Made up of the three towns Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, it was here that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was both invented and perfected, birthing a winemaking technique as well as a flavor profile that is now emulated worldwide.
Well-drained, limestone and chalky soil defines much of the region, which lend a mineral component to its wines. Champagne’s cold, continental climate promotes ample acidity in its grapes but weather differences from year to year can create significant variation between vintages. While vintage Champagnes are produced in exceptional years, non-vintage cuvées are produced annually from a blend of several years in order to produce Champagnes that maintain a consistent house style.
With nearly negligible exceptions, . These can be blended together or bottled as individual varietal Champagnes, depending on the final style of wine desired. Chardonnay, the only white variety, contributes freshness, elegance, lively acidity and notes of citrus, orchard fruit and white flowers. Pinot Noir and its relative Pinot Meunier, provide the backbone to many blends, adding structure, body and supple red fruit flavors. Wines with a large proportion of Pinot Meunier will be ready to drink earlier, while Pinot Noir contributes to longevity. Whether it is white or rosé, most Champagne is made from a blend of red and white grapes—and uniquely, rosé is often produce by blending together red and white wine. A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay will be labeled as ‘blanc de blancs,’ while ones comprised of only red grapes are called ‘blanc de noirs.’